Frictional shock-absorber for vehicles.



J. F. OCONNOR.

FRICTIUNAL SHOCK ABSORBER FOR VEHICLiS.

nPPucATmN FILED 5m12.191s; v

Patented May-1,1917.

A TTORNE Y s'rATEs PArEn'r omen,

JOHN F. GRAZ lTo all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCONNOR, a citizen of the `United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of `I1linois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement4 in Frictional- Shoclrlowing is a full, clear, concise,- and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of-thls specification.

This invention relates to improvements '1n rictional shock absorbers for vehicles. 4 An object of the invention is to provide a shock absorber for automobiles and other vehicles 'which employs a plurality of friction plates or equivalent members so actuated that a minimum amount of- Wear on the/parts takes place, due to theconstant shifting of "the contacting Wearing faces. i Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a shock absorber of the character above "indicated, lso arranged that the `degree of friction betweenthe various elements may be adjusted. to any desired amount.

In the drawing forming a part of this- ,specilicatiom Figurevl is a side eleifation of a portion 'of an automobile chassis and spring showing my improv'ement in. connec SO'tion therewith, the .axle being in cross section. V2 is a vertical sectional vView taken substantially on the line 2-:21A of 3. Fig, 3 is Va vertical sectional view-italien at right angles to that of Fign 2, thesection being lsubstantially on th line 3-3 of Fig.

2. Fig.- 4 is a. horizontal sectional 4View taken substantially'on the line fit-4.11 of liig.l

2 and Fig. is a 4sectional Nviewv taken -sub the automobile chassis or trame, 1414-122;

. elliptical sprin'gand 13 the axle. ,y The vquarter spring 11 is secured to theJ chassis 10 by means. of clipslfl attached -to the bracket 15,

'145 the latter being riveted to the chassis; The

semi-elliptical lspring 12 `is secured to'tbe axle by similar clips 16, the ends of the quarter and semi-elliptica springs being connected in the usual manner bythe-pivot' link 17- and the opposite end of .the semielliptical spring 1.2 is connected to a dependent bracket 18 riveted to the chassis 10. The foregoing' described parts are or may be of any Well known or desired type..

The improved shook absorbing mechanism Specication of Letters Patent.

Absorbers lfor Vehicles, of which the foll `toothed disks 2 "2 equal the number-of toothed .ries of eri-centr?!y s 26.

Vthe casingr A a e, placed plates 29 Vmounted v'levers Blf-'31.

ling and a secon! l Awasher 34 being interposed double leaf sp1 ing 36 is preferably 'inter` posed between the. nut 35l and washer 34.

CONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOVIS/ASSIGNOIILTC WILLIANL H. MINER, 0F

Y', NEW YORK.

Fmc'rioNAL -snoek-eissonnmt non vEIcLns.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Apancauoh med september 2,1915. serial No. 48,565.

after described. Within the casing A, and

non-rotatably Mounted on the rod 22 is a pli'iralityof double eccentrics 23,23, In terposed between the end eccentrics 23 and the inner ivalls of the casing A are .liner disks 2-l-2f1. Each eccentric 23 has one eccentric bearir g 25, the center of which is above the center of the casing and another eccentric bearing 26, the centerl of which is below theV centfr of the casing. Rotatably mounted on lthe plurality of eccentrics, above described, are vt1 iothed disks 27 and. 28, it being understood that the number of said disksQS, one sei rotating about one series olf eccentrics an d the other set about the se- The toothed disks 27 and28 have itl-li ir surfaces engaging to thus create the f 'iction when relatively rotated, as hereina'fter Liesc'ribed, On each'side of 29,: the latter fitting the-hexagonal rod 22, each of said plates 29 haif'ing'alsoan outwardly extending b oss 31) on which are oscillatably \90 The parts Yof the' casing A, the eccentrics, liners,` `friction disks'27 `and 28, the plates 29 29, and levers S14-Share all-l eld in assembled position byl means of a bol; 32.'..vvli-ieh extends through 95 thfe' hexagonal rod. 22"^a Washer 33 bein-g in ,'t'erposed between the lhead ojtjthe boltl and the adjacent nie mbers on one side. of the casbetweenthe. adjustable nut 35 and 'adjacent In order tov reg date and adjust theamount of friction 'between' the friction `disks, a f:

Also mounted within the casing A 'to one side of the :trici ion disks 27-and 28 on bolts j 37 and 38, arepinionsBQ 'and 40. The pinion 39 on theupper bolt 37 meshes with the upper series oi'. toothed friction disks 27 unf members on'the other side of the casing A.,

. on the pawl are normally out of engage Q gated tooth adapted tov coperate with the teeth of the lower series of friction 28. Said pawl 43 on its inner side'isalso provided with an elongated recess 46 adapted to receive the outer ends of two series of springs 47 .and 48, the inner ends of said series of springs being confined and held in suitable recesses 49-49 formed in the plates 29-29, it being understood that the recees 49 and 46 are ared to thereby facilitate fiexing of the sprinvs as hereinafter described. On its outer si c the pawl 43 is provided with a spaced pair of perforated ears 50-50 to which is pivotally'connected, as by a'bolt 51, a link 52, the upper end of vwhich ispivotally connected as indicated at 53 to a suitable bracket 54 riveted to the The operation is as follows: It will be noted that the teeth 44 and 45 ment with the Vteeth on the friction disks, so that initial relative movement either toward or froi'n each other of the axle 13 and chassis 10v does not cause any movement of the friction. disks. However, ,npon' relative approach of the chassis 10 and aigle 13 beyond a predetermined limit it is apparent that the pawl: 43 will be'os'eillqted clock-wise 'against the action of the springs 47- and 48.

ThisA will continue until the lower tooth 45 engages the teeth of the lcwerset of friction disks 28. Continued downward move- Vment of the link 52 and pawl 43 with the A the disks 28 will rotate the lower set of fric-' tooth 45 in engagement with the teeth vof tion disks 28 in a clock-wisedirection, this nal movement of the pawl being permitted by the oscillation of the levers 31-131 about their supports. The clock-wise' movement .of 'the' friction disks 28" Wi,ll"rotatethe pini ion 40 in a ycounter clock-wise direction and the latter.. inturn, which meshes with the vpini on ,39, 'will rotate thepinion 39 in'a @clock-wise direction. This rotationgof the pinion 39 will'in .tin-n rotate the friction disks 27 ifnjaL counter' clock-wise direction. .In practice, the number of teeth on the pinion' 39v willdiier' from the number of teeth on the pinion 4 0,- Ione having preferably 14 teeth and the other 15 teeth, hence, upon actuation oflthe friction'members one set of ,friction disks will be.. rotated at a slightly ,higher speed than the other set whereby a constant 'variation of the engaging friction surfaces of the disks is obtained. When the axle and chassis separate more than a predetermined distance, the upper tooth 4i will engage the teeth of the disks 27 and rotate the latter in a counter clock-wise direction and, through the intermediary of the pinions 39 and 40, the disks 28 in a clock-Wise direction.

From the foregoing,'it is apparent that in whichever direction the pawl 43 is actuated,

that is, either up orv down, the disks 27 and 28 will always be rotated in the same direction to effect the constant change of the friction engaging surfaces.

In orderto protect the members within the casing from dirt' and theielements I pro-i vide a sheet metal cage 55 which fitstherewithin and is movable with the p awl 43.

I claim 1. A shock absorber for vehicles and the l A like comprising, a casing adapted to be secured to one' member of the vehicle,v two sets of friction disks carried by said casing, and means for .turning one set of disks in one direction relatively to the casing, and

the other set of disks always in the oppo site direction relatively to said casing, upon relativei movements of the vehicle member to which the casing is adapted to ybe secured and anothermember of the vehicle.

2. A shock absorber f ofr vehicles com prising, a casing, two sets of Afriction disks carried by said casing, one setof disks being rotatable about centers eccentricfto the centers of rotation of the other set of disks, and means for actuating one set of disks always in the same direction. A

3. In a device of the' character described,

the combination with two members -of-a vehicle adapted to'move-.toward andv fronr each other, of a shock absorber, said shock absorber comprising, a casing secured to one l of said members, twol sets of friction disks carried by said casing, said disks vhaving pe' ripheral teeth, both sets being rotatable with respect to Ythe casing, one set in one direction and the'otherset'in the opposite direction, payvl means coperating with the teeth of said disks, and devices foractuating vsaid pawl means upon relative movement be-l tween said members of the vehicle.

4. In a device' o' the character described,

the'combination with two members of av vehicle adapted tov move toward and from each other, of a shock absorber, said shock absorber *comprising a casing secured -to Y one of said.4 members, two setsA of eccentrically disposed friction disks carried by said casing, saidldisks having teeth around their peripheriesfa double acting pawl' co:

operable with thefteeth of said disks, and

means for actuatingfsaid pa-wl'upon relative 125- movement betweemzsaid members of the ve; hicle. 'y 5. A shock absiiitieifor vehicles and the like comprisin i a supportinglvmember, two sets of rotata ly-mdun-tedfriction` disks, 13o

v rotatably mounted, said disks .having ally supported on said lever said disks having peripheral teeth, a train of gears interposed between the teeth of one set of disks and the teeth of the other set of disks whereby movement of one set is imparted to theother set, and a pawl adapted to coperate with the teeth of either set of disks.

6. A shock absorber for vehicles and the like comprising, a casing, t'wo sets of eecentrically disposed disks mounted within said easing, said disks having teeth, a train of gears interposed between the teeth of one set of disksand the teeth of the other set of disks whereby movement of one set is imparted to the other set, an oscillatable lever carried by said casing,

and adapted to eoperate with the teeth of said disks.

7. A shock absorber for vehicles and the like comprising, a supporting member, two sets of eccentrically disposed friction disks Pe* ripheral teeth, a train of gears interposed between the teeth of one set `of disks and the teeth of the other set of disks whereby movement of one set is imparted to the other set, and a pawl adapted to coperate with the teeth of either setof disks. I

8. A shock absorber for vehicles and the like comprising, a casing, two sets of eccen- `trically disposed friction disks mounted Within said casing, said disks havingr teeth, an oscillatable lever carried by said casing, a pawl pivotally supported in lsaid lever and adapted to coperate with the teeth of said disks.

9. A lshock absorbervfor vehicles and the itl a pawl pivot-` like comprising, a cash g, two sets of eccentrically disposed fri( tion disks carried within said casing, sa d disks having peripheral teeth, a train of gearsinterposed between said sets of disks, and a double acting pawl adapted tom :ope-rate with either set of disks. y

10. A shock absorber for. vehicles and the like. comprising, a easing, two sets of eccentrically disposed friction disks, rotatably mounted within said ca` Ling, said disks hav- `ing peripheral teeth, a yrain of gears interposed between said. disk: i whereby movement of one set is communica ted to the other set, an oseillatably mount-el lever carried b said casing, a spring controlled doubleacting pawl mounted in said lever, said pawl being adapted to cope 'ate with either set of disks.

11. A shock absorber t'or vehicles and the like comprising, a casing, two sets of eccentrically disposed fric ',ion disks rotatably mounted-within said casing, said disks having peripheral teeth, posed between said dis ks whereby move* ment of oney set is' commu nicated to the other set, an oscillatably mointed lever carried by said casing, a springl controlled double actin paWl mounted cn said lever, said pawlgbeing adapted to cc perate with either set of disks, and means for amount of friction'betwt en said disks.

In witness that I clain the foregoing l have hereunto. subscribed my name this 31st day of July, 1915.

JOHN F. ocoNNoR.

adjusting the 

